


Humanity (Ghoul! Levi x Reader) *Modern AU*

by ShadowVixen



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-06-24 12:37:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15630828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowVixen/pseuds/ShadowVixen
Summary: Your life was relatively normal until you stumbled upon a dangerous situation involving ghouls. After making a choice you may or may not regret, your life gets turned upside down as you are introduced to a darker side of society you never thought existed. Will you be able to survive this harsh new reality? Perhaps, with the help of a certain short(-tempered) clean-freak. (Attack on Titan & Tokyo Ghoul Crossover)





	1. Café Blauer Flügel

**Author's Note:**

> Reader Key
> 
> (Y/n): Your name
> 
> (h/c): hair color
> 
> (h/l): hair length
> 
> (s/t): skin tone
> 
> (e/c): eye color
> 
> (f/c): favorite color
> 
> (F/n): Friend's name
> 
> (F/h/c): Friend's hair color
> 
> (F/s/t): Friend's skin tone
> 
> (F/e/c): Friend's eye color
> 
> ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
> 
> Okie-dokie! Finally finished the first chapter! Before you go on to read the next part though, PLEASE READ WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY! It's important info for the story:
> 
> I will be following some events of the Tokyo Ghoul series, but not all of them and not scene-by-scene. I might also be adding some plot points for Attack on Titan so be aware that this story WILL be treading into spoiler territory.  
> I am debating whether or not Reader-chan will become a half-ghoul later in the story. If you have an opinion on this, don't be afraid to share it with me. I don't bite, I promise~!  ;)  
> Be aware that this is Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan. So, don't be surprised if there are a lot of dark themes and gore, which there will be a lot of by the way.  
> Speaking of ghouls, I decided to allow them to drink tea as well as coffee because- let's be honest here, who am I to get between Levi and his favorite black tea?  
> Reader-chan is taller than Levi by several inches in this story. I feel like tall readers don't get enough love. I should know, I'm one of them! XD    But, in my defense, Hajime Isayama (creator of Attack on Titan) has stated in an interview that because many short people tend to be attracted to taller people, he figures that Levi would be into taller women.  
> The romance between Reader-chan and Levi will be a bit of a slow burn, mostly because there is no such thing as love at first sight. Attraction at first sight, sure, but not love. It will take some time before Levi even accepts Reader-chan into the group, so just be prepared for it.  
> Finally, Petra will not be romantically interested in Levi in this story and she will not be a total bitch to Reader-chan! Petra seems (seemed... hahaha... (T-T) ) to be a sweet girl, overall. And, I just don't think that she was romantically into Levi in the first place. I think that she just looked up to him as a role model and respected him as her senior officer and her dad just misinterpreted her feelings for him.  
> So, yeah... That's pretty much it. I'll see you all in the next chapter! Peace~!

 The cusp of autumn always seemed to be one of the coldest times of the year. The air was already starting to cool down as the sharp and frigid winds began to nip at whatever it touched. While it was one of the coldest, you also considered it to be one of the most beautiful times of the year. Soon the trees will be set aflame by vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red. Not to mention that the chilling weather was a good excuse to curl up all day in warm blankets and sip on (Favorite Hot Drink).

        Watching the leaves and branches of the trees outside flutter and shake in the biting wind made you feel cold, causing you to unconsciously hug your (f/c) coat closer to yourself. One of your (s/t) hands busied themselves by playing with a lock of your (h/l) (h/c) hair. As you watched the occasional car and pedestrian pass by your vision, you could hear the soft bustle of the small cafe around you.

        You were currently sitting inside of your favorite restaurant, Cafe Blauer Flügel. You discovered the place a few months ago after moving to your new apartment. You were still relatively new to Rose City's southern district of Trost. You had decided to explore the area around your new apartment. After all, you would be staying in Trost for at least the next few years while you attended the nearby university. You might as well find some places to help burn your free time. Soon, you discovered Blauer Flügel.

        It was a cute and homey establishment. The interior of the brick building was mostly made of polished wood. The wooden chairs were surprisingly comfy and the large windows and golden light fixtures filled the air with a warm atmosphere. More importantly, the food was to die for. You were honestly surprised how good everything on the menu tasted, despite the fact that the cafe never seemed to get too busy. Not to mention the fact that this place served the best (Favorite Hot Drink) you ever had. Needless to say, you became a regular. Nearly every morning you would drop by to relax and read a book, ordering the occasional pastry or drink. The servers knew you by name and actually became quite friendly with you.

        "(Y/n)." A soft, feminine voice called out to you.

        "Huh?" You snapped out of your thoughts and turned your head away from the window to address the person who said your name.

        There stood the ginger-haired waitress that you had grown close to over the past few months, her soft brown eyes glittering in the light. She wore the cafe's uniform consisting of a white dress shirt under a black vest with black slacks and polished dress shoes.

        "Uh, s-sorry about that, Petra. My mind was wandering a little, hehe..." You uttered sheepishly, offering the short woman a smile.

        "I could tell~." She giggled, "I wanted to ask you if you wanted anything. Or are you still going to wait on your friend?"

        You were supposed to be meeting your best friend here, as you wanted her to meet Petra and the other servers. You also figured that she needed a new place to get food. Frozen food and sweets could only keep someone going strong for so long. But, in typical (F/n) fashion, she was horribly late.

        "Yeah, I guess I should order something. I'm sorry that I'm wasting your time and space." You apologized, your (e/c) eyes softening.

        "Nah, don't even worry about it. You're one of our favorite customers, so we don't mind having you around." Petra shook her head as she pulled a tablet of paper and a pen from the black apron that was tied around her waist.

        "So, the usual?" She guessed, clicking the pen in her dominant hand as she prepared to jot down your order.

        You nodded with a white, toothy grin, "Yes please."

        Petra returned your grin and scribbled your order onto the notepad in her dainty hand, "Coming right up~!"

        "Miss Ral." A deep voice called out from behind the cafe's front counter, catching yours and your friend's attention.

        Behind the bar was the owner of the cafe himself, Erwin Smith. His blonde hair was neatly combed and gelled, as per usual. Although, it just seemed to draw more attention to his thick and prominent eyebrows. You thought his eyebrows suited him, but perhaps that's just because he was already handsome.

        Erwin raised his arm up to his chest and gently tapped his wristwatch with his other hand, an apologetic smile on his face. Petra pouted before reluctantly nodding and turned back to you.

        "(Y/n), I am so sorry, but my shift is over. I'll put in your order before I go."

        "Oh, no, please don't apologize. It's not your fault. It's (F/n)'s fault." You replied, passing a glare to the front door of the cafe as if your best friend had just walked in.

        "Maybe something important came up." Petra suggested optimistically.

        'Yeah right. (F/n) is always late, but it's mostly because she's too easily distracted. Not to mention she's hopeless with directions.' You thought as you recalled the multiple texts you had sent her within the past few hours, the replies all of which contained something along the lines of "sorry, I'm on my way".

        "Well, my replacement will bring your drink as soon as it's ready." She informed as she turned on her heel, "I'm sorry I couldn't meet your friend. She sounds like a sweet girl, but... maybe next time."

        "Yeah... Next time..." You replied, though slightly less enthusiastically, "Have a good day, Petra."

        "You too~."

        As she walked away from your table, she suddenly hesitated and turned once again to address you, "Oh, and u-um... I apologize in advance for my coworker's attitude. He is kind, deep down, so please don't hold it against him."

        Your (s/t) brow furrowed, but Petra had already walked away and disappeared through the kitchen door before you could question what she said.

        'What did she mean by that? Is her coworker bad with people? If so, why would he be working in customer service?' You wondered to yourself.

        Not even minutes later the bell above the cafe's front door rang, signaling that someone had just walked in. And, of course, it just so happened to be your best friend. What "perfect" timing she had...

        Your best friend stood in the doorway, bent over and clutching her knees. She was huffing and puffing pretty heavily, acting as if she just ran a mile. Keyword, "acting". The fact that her face wasn't flushed and her hair was as flawless as ever told you that she might not have been in a hurry to get here at all. Her (F/h/c) hair was perfectly curled into bouncing waves. She wore a long, cream-colored coat over a red cashmere sweater and a criminally short black miniskirt. Her (F/s/t) legs were covered by gray tights and had her feet stuffed into a pair of bright red "fuck me" pumps. How she could even stand in those stilts, you never knew.

        (F/n) stood up and wiped the nonexistent sweat from her makeup heavy face. Her (F/e/c) eyes then scanned the cafe until they locked on your form. She grinned and practically bounced over to your table, her high heels clicking loudly with every step she took. This only cemented your suspicion that she wasn't in a real hurry to meet with you.

        "Hey there, girlfriend~! Sorry I'm late!" She chirped as she hung her red designer purse on the wooden chair across from you and took her seat.

        "No big deal, (F/n). You're only..." You pulled out your phone and checked the time, "Three hours, forty-five minutes, and sixteen seconds late."

        "Is that sarcasm I hear?" She asked with a pout, reaching over to you with a manicured hand to pinch your cheek. "You need to lighten up and not be such a sour-puss~."

        "And you need to have a better sense of timing and direction." You gently pushed (F/n)'s hand from your face.

        "God! You can be such a stick in the mud, you know that?" (F/n) gave an exasperated sigh, leaning back in her chair.

        "And if I wasn't, who else would drag you back down to Earth?" 

        (F/n) seemed to contemplate this before giving her reply with a smile, "True~!"

        At this point, the short argument the two of you had turned into a giggle fest. This was how your relationship had always been with (F/n). You would constantly have small arguments that would bring you closer together rather than push you apart. You've been best friends since middle school, but you were complete polar opposites of each other. She was super popular at school and you were not. At parties, she was a social butterfly while you awkwardly stood off to the side like a wall flower. You were a quiet and modest bookworm while she was a loud and shameless fashionista. And yet, you somehow had a fully blossomed friendship with her to the point that you might as well have been sisters.

        Your giggles were interrupted by a steaming cup of (Favorite Hot Drink) being placed in front of you. The sudden appearance of your drink made you jump as you turned your head to look at the person who delivered it to you. You could swear that your heart just skipped a beat. Standing next to your table was probably the most handsome man you had ever laid your eyes upon. He appeared to be around your age. His soft-looking jet black hair was styled into an undercut. His narrow eyes were a beautiful shade of gray-blue, like the color of the sky just before a storm. He wore the standard uniform of the waiters on staff, the only difference being that he had a white cravat neatly woven around the collar of his dress shirt. Cravats were a bit old-fashioned, but you had to admit that it looked great on him. You also noted that the man was rather short. In fact, you were sure that if you stood you would tower over him by several inches. That didn't bother you though as you noticed that his slender figure looked toned underneath his nicely fitting uniform.

        "Hey." His voice was deep and smooth like honey, the rich sound making you want to melt.

        "If you're done drooling over me, brat, I'd like to get this over with." And yet his words were as sharp and cold as knives, each one cutting into you without care.

        It was then that you noticed that his cold gaze was piercing into yours causing a shiver to run down your spine. Then you realized that you were staring at the man quite intensely and had just been called out for it. All at once you felt heat rushing to your cheeks and ears.

        "Oh, u-um, I-I'm sorry." You managed to squeak out, quickly averting your gaze to the drink in front of you.

        "Tch." The waiter clicked his tongue in annoyance, "My name is Levi and I'll be your server today."

        "I'm required by the management to let you know that we're having a special on key lime bars today." Levi spoke in a disinterested tone before turning his steely gaze to your friend, "So, are you going to order something or are you going to sit there for hours looking out the window like a space-case?"

        Levi's backhanded comment slapped you across the face as you realized that he was talking about you. Your face felt as if it were on fire at this point, 'How did he know? Has he been here all day and I just didn't notice him? Did I really look that stupid when I was looking out the window?!'

        (F/n), however, didn't seem to notice Levi's rudeness and looked at one of the menus that sat off to the side, "That sounds good, actually. I'll have that and a cappuccino."

        Levi took out a pad of paper and a pen and quickly wrote down your friend's order, "Will that be a-"

        "Oh, and I'll have a slice of strawberry shortcake! And one of the fudge brownies!"

        "Is that all-"

        "And don't forget the cappuccino!" (F/n) interrupted Levi yet again before looking at you, "I did mention the cappuccino, didn't I?"

        You nervously shifted your gaze from (F/n) to Levi, only nodding your head in reply. Levi glared harshly at your best friend and looked as if he wanted to brutally murder her on the spot.

        "Can I get you anything else?" Levi asked, his voice taking on a dangerous tone.

        "How about your number, cutie~?" She asked with a flirtatious wink.

        'Does she have a death wish?! He already looks like he's willing to commit murder!' You thought as you looked at (F/n) in disbelief.

        The shadow over Levi's eyes cast by his bangs seemed to darken as his gaze narrowed and intensified, a slight frown tugging on his lips.

        "How about fuck no?" Levi growled back.

        Erwin's loud cough from behind the front counter made the black-haired man glance over his shoulder in his direction. One of Erwin's magnificent brows was raised as he crossed his muscular arms.

        "Tch." Levi clicked his tongue and turned around, "I'll get your order..."

        As he started to walk away, you could just barely hear him mutter something that suspiciously sounded like "fat sow". Your (F/e/c)-eyed friend must have heard him mumble as well because she called after him, "Sorry, I couldn't hear you. What'd you say?"

        Of course, since she was being loud, the whole cafe looked in your direction. Being called out caused the steely-eyed waiter to pause mid-step.

        "I said "I'll get your order right now"." Levi replied without a second's hesitation before continuing to move to the kitchen.

        'So that guy was the replacement Petra told me about. No wonder she apologized beforehand for his behavior. His attitude is awful- downright crude!' Petra had also told you that Levi was kindhearted deep down but, judging from your first interaction, you doubted it. Hell, you doubted that the man was even capable of smiling.

        (F/n) seemed to be oblivious of that fact, however, as she was preoccupied with something else.

        "Mmm~..." She slowly licked her red-painted lips as she shamelessly stared at Levi's rear as he walked to the kitchen, "baby, won't you come my way~."

        In response to her lewd actions and inappropriate singing, you gave her leg a sharp kick from underneath the table.

        "Ouch!" She yelped, jumping in her seat as her attention was now back on you. She pouted and reached down to gently nurse the spot on her shin that the toe of your shoe had struck, "What did you do that for, (Y/n)?"

        "You know exactly why I did that." You hissed softly, "Don't be such a creep to the staff. Besides, that guy was too rude to be attractive."

        "Aw, he's just a bit feisty..." She trailed off as she looked over to the door that Levi disappeared through, "and you should know by now that I love my men with a bit of spice~."

        You rolled your eyes and took a small sip of your (Favorite Hot Drink), letting the tasty liquid run down your throat and warm your insides as it made its way down to your stomach.

        A sudden tune rang through the cafe, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. The sound was familiar to you and you recognized it as the jingle that indicated a local news broadcast. Sure enough, on the flat-screen TV hanging on the wall behind the front counter was a breaking news report.

        "This is Anka Rheinberger, coming to you live from the Garrison News Studio. We've just been informed that several mutilated bodies have been discovered in the back streets of Maria City's southern district of Shiganshina." The brunette news reporter announced.

       You took a few large gulps of your drink, wanting to enjoy it while it was still warm. You still listened carefully to the news reporter, though. Levi came back through the kitchen door balancing a tray of your friend's sweets on one hand, only giving the TV a side glance as he made his way across the room to your table.

        "From the police reports, there is suspicion that parts of the victims were eaten which would indicate that this is a ghoul crime. Ghoul Investigators from the CCG Headquarters located in Downtown Maria are en route to the crime scene as we speak. The identity of the victims have yet to be determined."

        The black-haired man placed each of (F/n)'s desserts onto the table in front of her, "Try not to make too much of a mess, brat. I'll go make your cappuccino now."

        He ignored the flirty wave (F/n) gave him and crossed the floor to go behind the cafe counter, ignoring you completely. Not that you minded of course, as just imagining his frigid steel gaze on you again made you want to cringe.

        "The police have reason to believe that this atrocity was committed by the terrorist ghoul group calling themselves the Titans. The number and severity of crimes committed by the Titans have been steadily increasing over the past year. The CCG have begun to take drastic measures, sending several groups of high-ranked Investigators to Maria City in hopes of quelling the rising ghoul threat." Anka Rheinberger informed as she stared into the camera. "In other news..."

        As the news anchor began to drone on, you blocked out her voice in favor of looking to your friend who looked fairly disgusted.

        "Geez... Those ghouls are disgusting. Honestly, I don't understand why the CCG can't just wipe them all out..." (F/n) spat, her lip curling.

        "I don't think so..." You spoke before you could stop yourself.

        After you realized what you just said, your eyes widened as (F/n) looked at you in disbelief. Before she could call you out on it, however, Levi sat her cappuccino in front of her.

        "Your cappuccino." He grumbled before looking your way, his blade-like gaze piercing into your large (e/c) orbs, "Do you want another (Favorite Hot Drink)?"

        "N-no, it's fine. I'm okay for n-now." You stammered, feeling much like a deer in headlights under his cold stare.

        Levi just clicked his tongue and stalked away to a recently cleared table, pulling a rag out of his apron and began to thoroughly wipe it clean.

        "What do you mean "I don't think so"? Are you saying that you're on the ghouls' side?!" (F/n) demanded, dragging you right back into your previous conversation.

        "Well, no, I just..." You paused for a moment before letting out a sigh.

        "I don't support what ghouls do, especially not groups like the Titans. No matter how you look at it, killing is wrong. That's why I don't really support the CCG either. I don't think all ghouls are heartless monsters like most people believe. I believe that there are a lot of good ghouls out there just like there are a lot of evil humans. And it's not like all of them choose to eat human flesh. They have no choice. If they don't, they'll starve. I mean, how would you feel if we were rabbits in a world where everyone was a sentient fruit or vegetable? It's not like we'd be able to eat dirt and absorb sunlight like they do. We'd have no choice but to eat them, or we'd starve to death." You explained, shifting your soft (e/c) gaze to the window beside you.

        Unbeknownst to you at the time, Levi and Erwin had heard your entire conversation.

        There was a long pause before (F/n) sighed in defeat, "Ugh. You can be way too nice and naive sometimes. That kindness is bound to get you killed someday."

        "Yeah, I know that but..." You agreed, "at least I'll die knowing that I was a good person trying to do the right thing..."

        "I will never understand you." She replied with a groan.

        (F/n) abruptly stood and grabbed her purse, "Whatever. I've lost my appetite. Buh-bye, Queen~!"

        Before you could react, (F/n) was already waddling out the front door as fast as her red stilts would allow.

        "H-Hey! (F/n)! You can't just leave me with the bill! You didn't even eat anything! Come back here!" You called after her, despite knowing that your cries would only fall on deaf ears.

        With a frustrated growl, you pulled your wallet out of your messenger bag and flung two bills on the table as you got up from your seat.

        "Keep the change!" You said to Erwin and Levi as they watched you hurry towards the door.

        "Be safe, Miss (Y/n). Come again soon." Erwin smiled at you as you rushed out the front door, the bell above it jingling in the process.

        You rushed down the front steps of the cafe and turned the blind corner at the bottom of the stairs, only to nearly run into a woman. Reacting quickly, you flinched backwards to avoid a collision with the stranger. Luckily, the woman stopped as well.

        "E-Excuse me. I am so sorry." You hastily apologized.

        "Don't worry about it, dear." The woman replied with a kind smile. 

        You took a moment to observe the woman you nearly ran into and you were shocked by how beautiful she was. Her long and straight platinum blonde hair fell all the way down to her lower back like a silk curtain. Her long bangs parted in the middle and swept to the sides in order to perfectly frame her fair-skinned face. Her kind and bright lavender-colored orbs gazed into your own (e/c) ones, causing a calm atmosphere to wash over you.

        "If anyone should apologize, it's us." She said, her voice soft and melodic.

        'Us?' You repeated internally. It was only then that you noticed the wide-eyed lavender gaze staring at you from behind the woman. As soon as your eyes met that of, who you just realized was, a little girl no older than ten, you heard a soft "eep". The big eyes disappeared as the little girl took refuge behind her mother's petite form.

        "Now, sweetie, there's no need to be shy. Come on out and be polite." The woman looked back at her daughter, urging her to step out from behind her.

        After a little hesitation, the little girl inched her way into the open as red rushed to her cheeks.

        "U-Um... I'm... I'm s-sorry for almost b-bumping into you, miss..." She mumbled, shuffling her feet as she tried to hide her flustered state behind her long platinum blonde hair.

        It was official. This little girl was a precious cinnamon roll who needed to be protected from the world. You fought the urge to squeal and glomp the child, not wanting to look like a creep.

        "No, it's fine." You replied, waving off the apology.

        The woman smiled and nodded curtly at you, continuing past you and going up the stairs into the cafe with her child in tow.

'Huh. Weird. I've never seen those two around here before.' You hummed in contemplation, 'Then again, it's a big city and I'm never here past noon so... I suppose it's not really too strange. At least I didn't actually run into them.'

A few seconds of silence passed before you suddenly remembered why you were rushing out of the cafe.

"Wait a minute... Dang it, (F/n)! Get back here!" You shouted after your long-gone friend, rushing down the street and weaving through the thin crowd.

 

To Be Continued...


	2. Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader Key
> 
> (Y/n): Your name
> 
> (h/c): hair color
> 
> (h/l): hair length
> 
> (f/c): favorite color

 "Tch."

        Levi clicked his tongue, annoyed at the state of the table you and your friend just abandoned.

        "Wasteful brats..." He grumbled, collecting the plates of untouched sweets and drinks onto a tray. Balancing the tray on one hand, he pocketed the money you had thrown on the table.

        The sugary stench of the desserts almost made him want to gag, but he bore with it as he escorted them to the kitchen where they would be thrown away. He knew Erwin would frown upon him for it, but he didn't really care. They still had plenty of desserts. Besides, he wasn't about to give a customer something that was already served to another. And he sure as hell wasn't about to eat the desserts himself.

        After throwing away the food and depositing the dirty dishes into the sink, he returned from the kitchen and walked over to Erwin.

        "Eyebrows." Levi spoke up to gain his attention, "Here's the brat's payment. She said "keep the change", so whatever's left is mine."

        Erwin looked up from his task of cleaning the coffee maker just in time to catch the dollar bills that were tossed at him, courtesy of Levi.

        "Levi, I wish that you would try to be more courteous to the customers..." Erwin sighed, sidestepping to the cash register.

        "Sure thing, "boss"." The short man replied sarcastically, grabbing a bottle of citrus-scented cleaning solution and a clean rag from under the counter.

        "I'm serious, Levi. People are starting to wonder why I haven't fired you for your behavior." 

        "Not my fault that I'm allergic to people's bullshit."

        Erwin released a defeated sigh, watching as Levi began to disinfect and wipe down the table you and your friend had sat at. A sudden chime ringing through the cafe alerted everyone who heard it that someone just walked in. Upon seeing who it was, Erwin smiled.

        "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Markov. We've been expecting you." Erwin greeted warmly.

        "Oh, Erwin. I've told you before, please just call me Anya." The platinum-haired woman replied with a kind smile.  
        Anya looked at the little girl who was clinging to her beige knitted coat, "Ilya, dear, say hello to Erwin."

        The young lavender-eyed girl peeked around her mother's form and gave Erwin a shy wave, "H-Hello Mr. Erwin..."

        Ilya looked around the near-empty cafe, stopping only when she saw Levi. Seeing the short man, who had paused his cleaning to see who had walked in, a bright and excited smile formed on her face.

        "Big brother Levi!" Ilya squealed, parting from her mother as she ran to the black-haired man and practically tackled him in a hug.

        "Did you miss me, big brother?! Did you?! Huh?! Huh?!" She asked excitedly, clinging to his midsection.

        Being called "big brother" brought back some bad memories, but he didn't really mind it.

        "No." Levi answered without hesitation, causing the little girl to look up at him with a pout.

        Levi let the corners of his lips form into a faint smirk, letting her know he was only teasing. He placed his hand on Ilya's head and ruffled her hair, inciting a giggle from the girl.

        "Ilya." Anya called out to her daughter, "I'm going in the back with Erwin to pick up our order. Will you be okay here with Levi?"

        The small girl nodded enthusiastically with a wide grin as she latched herself onto Levi's arm.

        "Yeah, I'll take care of the brat. Just hurry up and get what you need." Levi responded while raising the arm that Ilya clung to, easily lifting up the small girl who let out a giggle when she found herself dangling above the floor.

        Anya smiled softly at the interaction between the two of them as she nodded to Levi in thanks and followed the beckoning Erwin behind the counter and through the double doors into the kitchen.

        "Alright, brat, get off and take a seat." Levi ordered.

        Ilya released Levi's arm and dropped onto the polished floor with a thump. As she went to take a seat at the table Levi was just cleaning, however, he stopped her by grabbing her arm.

        "Not there." Levi growled, glaring at the chair as if your friend were still sitting in it, "I wouldn't let you sit in that chair unless it was sterilized and burned."

        The platinum-haired girl looked at the chair in confusion, "Huh? Why not? Is there something wrong with it?"

        "Tch. I haven't had a chance to clean it yet, and the bimbo who sat there..." Levi trailed off and started to pull Ilya to the stools that sat along the cafe's front counter, "I don't want you to catch her slut. It might be contagious."

        "Huh? Slut? What's that, big brother?"

        "Shut up."

        "Sit." Levi said, gesturing to one of the bar stools before rounding the counter.

        Ilya complied and climbed up the stool, taking a seat and adjusting herself to be more comfortable and to ensure that she wouldn't fall off.

        "Have you been behaving yourself for your mom?" Levi questioned, absentmindedly running his fingers underneath the counter to check for dust.

        "Mm-hm! I've even been helping mom clean the house!" The girl boasted, swelling up with pride.

        "Tch, yeah right. Last time I checked, brat, you couldn't even properly clean a dirty plate."

        "Hey! I said I've been helping her! I've been getting better at cleaning too..."

        "I'll believe it when I see it."

        Ilya pouted, grumbling to herself with her arms crossed. If he didn't have near-limitless amounts of self-control, Levi would have chuckled at the child's attitude.

        "And how have your studies been?" He asked the small girl, causing her to perk up a little.

        "Oh, they've been... okay, I guess."

        "Okay, you guess?" Levi repeated with a raised brow.

        The double doors to the kitchen swung open as a man in a waiter's uniform strolled out. 

        "Yeah, I just..." Ilya trailed off and shifted her gaze down to the counter top before continuing, "I've been practicing my reading, but there are a lot of words I can't understand..."

        "Tch, you little brat. If you need help with understanding something, all you need to do is ask. If you want, I could help you out."

        "I wouldn't take him up on that offer if I were you, kiddo." A man's voice sounded.

        Ilya jumped at the sudden voice that chimed into their conversation.

        Levi glanced back at the brown-haired man with a scowl and spoke in a dangerous tone, "And why not, Schultz?"

        The tanned brown-haired man, Gunther Schultz, replied as he changed the filter of the coffee machine.

        "Well, don't take this the wrong way, Levi, but you're not exactly the teacher type. In fact, you're more of a drill sergeant than anything."

        Gunther turned and addressed Ilya, who shied away from meeting his brown gaze,"When it comes to instructing others, Levi is a slave driver. I speak from experience, kid."

        "Don't you have work to do, Gunther." Levi didn't word it like a question. It was more like a warning to stop talking, or else...

        "Tch. Yeah, Gunther. Stop slacking off." Another man's voice piped up.

        Walking up behind the counter was one Oluo Bozado, his undercut ash brown hair as scruffy-looking as always. The wrinkles on his face deepened as his mouth twisted into a scowl, glaring at Gunther.

        "I refuse to be the only person here who bothers working, so get back to it you lazy brat." He growled at the tanned man.

        Gunther sighed at Oluo's behavior, "You're lucky Petra's not here right now. She would throttle you for acting like a certain someone for no reason."

        Oluo clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, "I don't know what you're talking about. And who cares if that little brat was here or not?"

        "I'm pretty sure you do, moron..." Gunther muttered under his breath.

        "Hah?! What was that?! You wanna die, Gunther?!"

        Levi rolled his eyes, finding this entire conversation aggravating-- Not just because he found Oluo's impression of him to be annoying, but also because he saw how uncomfortable Ilya was hearing the two men go back and forth in an argument.

        "How about both of you shut up before I make you scrub the entire back alley from the gutters to the dumpsters." Levi growled, glaring at the two behind him.

        Most would take that as an empty threat, but as they knew Levi never made empty threats, Gunther and Oluo immediately silenced themselves.

        Ilya, in the meantime, tried to distract herself by watching the t.v. on the wall behind the three men. The news was still broadcasting and the reporter on the screen began to go over the more serious ghoul investigations. Most of the investigations being related to the Titans.

        The platinum-haired girl shuddered as she remembered what happened to her father at the hands of the infamous ghoul group. Her expression fell as her eyes reflected her sadness and a longing to be in her father's arms again. The trio of men noticed this and voiced their concern.

        "Hey, you feelin' okay there, kid?" Oluo questioned.

        "Yeah, what's with the sad eyes all of a sudden?" Gunther asked with concern.

        Levi stayed silent as he had a feeling he knew why her mood did a complete one-eighty. Ilya slowly raised her somber eyes to look into Levi's steely ones.

        "Big brother..." Ilya started in a soft voice, "You're going to get the bad guys who killed my dad, right?"

        All was silent for a few moments, aside from the soft chattering of the distant customers, before Levi replied.

        "Yeah. We're doing everything we can to track them down."

        "The guys who killed your dad were high-ranking members of the Titans, so we're not the only ones looking for them. The Doves are hot on their trail too. In all likelihood, we'll probably have to deal with the Doves along with the Titans." Gunther explained.

        "I want to help!" The girl declared, a look of determination in her lavender orbs.

        Levi's response was immediate, "No. Absolutely not."

        "B-But why not?!"

        "You can't be of any help to us in dangerous situations..." Oluo approached with a sneer and slightly leaned over the counter in Ilya's direction before continuing, "... Because small and weak little brats like you are what the Doves and Titans love to gobble up."

        Ilya paled and leaned away from Oluo, shivering from the thought of encountering either of them and being powerless to stop them from hurting her or worse. She hated to admit it, but it was true. She was small and weak. She hasn't even mastered using her own kagune yet and had no fighting experience whatsoever. What use would she have for these powerful men who were not strangers to fighting both humans and ghouls alike? None.

        Gunther opened his mouth to rip Oluo a new one, but Levi beat him to the punch. A loud thwack resonated through the restaurant as Levi smacked the ash-haired man upside the head with a nearby serving tray. The force of the impact was almost enough to crack the thick plastic surface, but was just enough to make Oluo bite his own tongue.

        "Auch! Thon of a bith! My tum! What wath that foh?!" Oluo slurred, raising his fingers to his mouth to nurse his now bleeding tongue.

        "For being a jackass. Now go clean this up. You probably got dust mites on it because of that mop you call hair. And if you get blood anywhere, you'll be cleaning the bathrooms for a month." Levi scowled, shoving the black tray into Oluo's chest.

        Ilya started to giggle at the man who groaned in pain with his tongue sticking out. Gunther was about to laugh as well until Levi turned his attention to him.

        "And you, stop slacking and get back to work before I give you bathroom cleaning duty too." The short man warned with a glare.

        The tanned man didn't need to be told twice.

        As Gunther walked away to the other side of the cafe to serve the few customers there, Oluo went to the kitchen wincing while holding a hand over his mouth. 

       Not even moments later, two muffled voices echoed through the double doors to the kitchen. The kitchen doors suddenly opened once again, Erwin stepping out with Anya not far behind. The two seemed to have just finished a particularly engaging conversation that had both of them laughing softly.

        Anya just finished shoving a small parcel in her purse as she rounded the counter to approach her daughter.

        "Come now, Ilya. It's time to go home, dear." She called out softly.

        "What? But, mom..." Ilya whined, pouting with a furrowed brow as she swiveled on the bar stool to face her.

        "Don't "but, mom" me, young lady. We only came to pick up our order."

        "But I wanted to spend more time with big brother..."

        "Ilya, Levi is working right now and I'm sure that he has plenty of things he still has to do. The same goes for Erwin. We've inconvenienced everyone enough for one day." The blonde woman pointed out.

        Levi appreciated Anya's words. As much as Levi liked spending time with Ilya, however bratty she may be in his eyes, he still did have a lot cleaning left to do. He still needed to bleach and burn a certain chair, too...

        The small girl looked down at her feet and pouted further, cheeks puffing up. After a few moments, however, her face brightened as she looked back up at Anya.

        "Can big brother help me study, then?! He offered to! Please, please, please?!" Ilya begged with hopeful eyes, folding her hands together in a pleading motion.

        "Well... I don't know..." Anya hummed, looking to Levi with her lavender orbs for confirmation.

        Levi shrugged, "I did offer to help her if she needed it. But, I'm working the rest of this week--"

        "Actually, Levi has this Saturday off. I'm sure that he would love to help Ilya then." Erwin interjected, offering the woman and child a kind smile.

        Levi snapped his head to Erwin, eyes narrowing at him. He was scheduled to work this Saturday. Did Erwin really just give him a day off only to plan that day for him without permission? He wanted to rip into the bushy-browed man for it, but held himself and his tongue back due to the public setting.

        "Well... If it's okay with Levi, I suppose he could visit us then and help you study." Anya gave in to her daughter's begging with a sigh.

        "Really?!" Ilya beamed as she turned to look at the cobalt-eyed man, "Can you?! Can you, big brother?! Please?!"

        Levi stayed silent for a few moments before caving into the child's demands just like her mother did.

        "Fine... I'll come over first thing in the morning, you little brat... Just stop looking at me like that-- It's weirding me out."

        Ilya began bouncing in her seat, barely capable of keeping in her excitement, "Big brother Levi's coming over!"

        Anya giggled as the small blonde girl jumped off of the bar stool and grabbed onto her hand.

        "C'mon, mom! We have to hurry home so we can start cleaning! If we don't start soon, we'll never be able to get the house clean enough for big brother's standards!" Ilya stated hurriedly as she tugged on her mother's arm, "The last time he came over, he spent the entire time cleaning!"

        "And I'll do it again in a heartbeat if I see anything as filthy as that pigsty you call a room, brat." Levi scoffed, "But, you can think of this as a chance to put your money where your mouth is by showing me how much better your cleaning's gotten."

        "I won't let you down, big bro!" She saluted.

        "You'd better not."

        Anya allowed Ilya to pull her towards the cafe door, waving goodbye to Erwin and Levi, "Goodbye! See you soon!"

        "Until next time, Anya." Erwin smiled, returning the wave as the two blondes left the cafe, the chimes above the door ringing to signal their departure.

        The next several moments between the two men were spent in quietly until Levi broke the pregnant silence.

        "Why the hell did you just volunteer me for a day off to play tutor, Erwin?"

        "Because Ilya needs to be around people she cares for-- now more than ever because of what happened to her father. Spending some time with you will raise her spirits. She truly adores you and looks up to you like a sibling."

        "And she shouldn't. I'm not exactly the best role model or the nicest person."

        "Don't underestimate yourself. Whether you admit it or not, you do have a way with dealing with children, Levi. Or is it the other way around?" Erwin mused in a teasing tone.

        "Tch."

        "Perhaps they feel that they can relate to you due to your height-- Or rather, lack thereof..."

        The short man's response was blunt, to put it lightly.

        "Fuck you."

 

.~.~.~.

*The Next Day*

*With (Y/n)*

 

        You briskly strode down the sidewalk, rushing past the darkened alleyways and brightly lit shop windows. Thunder roared above your head, echoing through the emptying streets.

        'Great job, (Y/n). You just had to go to the book store today. The weatherman told you there was a high chance of heavy rainfall.' Your inner critic scolded, causing you to scowl.

        Oh, how you cursed the fact that the weatherman was actually accurate on his prediction for once. Initially, you had brushed the weather report off, as you figured you would be safe and sound back at your apartment well before the storm hit, if it hit. You were much too excited to pick up your pre-ordered limited edition copy of Forest of Drizzling Rain* by Krista Lenz to be bothered by an inaccurate weather warning.

        Although you had already picked up your book and were rushing home, you were now regretting your decision to leave your home at all. The cold raindrops you could feel falling onto your hooded form were an indication that you would never make it back to the warm safety of your apartment before getting completely soaked.

        You pulled the hood of your (f/c) hoodie forward in a vain attempt to shield your face from the cold raindrops. Pulling on your hood only further ruffled your (h/l) (h/c) hair, making you grimace at the thought of untangling the inevitable knots when you got home.

        'How could this get any worse?' You ask yourself as you dreaded the runny nose and frostbite you were sure to have by the time you got back, not to mention the inevitable trails of rainwater you were going to track across the floors of your apartment.

If only you had known about what you were about to get yourself into...

 

.~.~.~.

*Meanwhile*

*Several Blocks Away*

 

        The platinum-haired woman let out a deep sigh.

        "Ilya, did we have to go to the book store today of all days? You pre-ordered the book, so we could have picked it up tomorrow."

        The small girl looked down at the puddle ridden ground with guilty eyes, "Sorry, mom. I was just excited to get my book. I've been waiting for it to come out for forever. And it was signed by the author too."

        "It's okay, dear. I'm not upset, I just wish that the weather was a little better." Anya took her daughter's hand and gave it a small reassuring squeeze as they continued down the road.

        Ilya looked back up at her mom and her small frown transformed into a bright smile.

        "At least we brought an umbrella, though, right?" Ilya asked, trying to point out the bright side of the situation as she gazed up at the large pink umbrella that shielded them from the heavy rain.

        "At least. I wasn't so sure about the color you picked out for it, but I have to admit that it's grown on me." Anya chuckled, glancing up at the umbrella she held in her other hand.

        "It's a super pretty color, isn't it?" The small girl giggled, turning her lavender gaze to a massive puddle next to them and resisted the urge to part from her mom to splash around in it. 

        Ilya received no reply from her mother. The heavy taps on the material of the umbrella caused by the falling drops of water mixed with the soft roar of the rain around them made her mother's silence all the more uncomfortable.

        Anya abruptly froze mid-step, causing Ilya to stop as well. Ilya's brow furrowed as she looked up at her mother questioningly and suddenly became nervous. She noted how her mother stared straight ahead of them with unblinking and fearful eyes, her grip on her daughter's small hand tightening. The small girl followed her mother's widened gaze and realized why she was so scared.

        Not even ten yards away from them, in the middle of their path, was a trio of tall men. They wore black business suits and long cream-colored trench coats, and each one carried a large silver briefcase in one hand. Though the steadily intensifying rainfall inhibited her sense of smell, Ilya could still smell the sweet scent of the trio's flesh and blood. However, she could also smell the faint pungent odor of three other ghouls. The strangest thing was that the ghouls' scents seemed to be coming from the briefcases that the men carried.

        Ilya knew exactly who these men were. Her mother, late father, and big brother Levi had warned her several times about people like these; If she were to ever see a trench coat-wearing business man or woman carrying a briefcase or any other large bag, she was to avoid them at any cost and not draw any unnecessary attention to herself. Right at this moment, however, that was not an option. Ilya could tell that it wasn't an option now just by looking into the mens' eyes. They were dark and filled with many different elements that both Ilya and Anya could easily identify:

        Rage

        Hatred

        Resentment

        Disgust

        Blood-lust

        At this point, only one thing went through Anya and Ilya's minds.

        These men were official investigators for the Commission of Counter Ghoul: Doves. And they knew that the two of them were ghouls.

        "Mrs. Anya Markov and... child..." The investigator standing in the middle stepped forward a few paces before stopping, passing dark glances between the woman and child.

        "We would hate to inconvenience you, but we politely ask that you spare us a moment of your time. It's about your late husband and the... interesting things we uncovered at his grave-site."

        "M-Mom...?" Ilya whimpered as she trembled, looking up at her mother who paled to the point that she looked like her face had been drenched in white paint.

        Anya cast her horrified lavender gaze down to her daughter and parted her lips to speak in a hushed yet firm tone, "Ilya... We have to run..."

 

To Be Continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * : The Forest of Drizzling Rain is actually an RPG Maker game. I don't own it at all, but I love the story a lot so it's gonna be a book in this. There will be a lot of RPG Maker games in book form in this- and yes, they will be written by Krista. Cool? Cool.
> 
> And I know that nothing TOO exciting has happened just yet, but don't worry. Things will pick up next chapter, I promise!


	3. Heavy Rain

Reader Key

(Y/n): Your name

(e/c): Eye color

(s/t): Skin tone

(f/c): Favorite color

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

*With Levi*

 

        The bathroom door opened without a sound.

        Levi stepped out into the cool hallway wearing nothing but a thin white towel around his slim hips, a cloud of steam trailing out of the room behind him.

        Using another smaller towel, Levi gently ruffled his hair to help it dry. Droplets of water dripped from the ends of his moist ebony hair and fell onto his body, slowly trailing down his dampened skin and slipping over his finely sculpted muscles.

        At this moment, Levi was truly grateful that he lived in his apartment alone. First off, there was no one to compromise the pristine sanitary conditions that he worked tirelessly to maintain in his home. Second, there would be no one to see him like this and look upon him with either envy or lust.

        Don't get it twisted, Levi wasn't arrogant or vain at all. In fact, he was quite modest and hated when anyone excessively praised his abilities or appearance. That's why he was annoyed whenever someone saw him like this, because they would either smother him with compliments or glare at him with jealousy from afar. He internally shuddered at the memory of his so-called "friends" dragging him on a road-trip to the beach. That hellish day of annoyance was a prime example as to why he avoided going out- especially with other people. He preferred to keep to himself by himself, which was a concept that no one seemed to understand.

        From the gossip-loving elderly woman next door who came by sometimes to give him a plate of cookies and to ask when he was getting a lady friend, to his coworkers who would drop by to visit him, to a certain bespectacled brunette who made it her life's goal to annoy the shit out of him; No one could grasp the concept that just because he was alone, that did not mean he was lonely. As much as he silently, and begrudgingly, appreciated their concern for him sometimes he just wished that they would all back off and give him some space. He would love to finally have some time to thoroughly clean his apartment at his own pace and savor a cup of hot tea in peace.

        Just as he thought about acting upon his wishes to enjoy his alone time, fate decided to intervene. On cue, Levi's thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone ringing in the living room from its place on the polished glass coffee table.

        Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance and pulled the small towel from his head to drape it around his neck as he walked down the hallway and into the living room. Bending down slightly, he quickly and smoothly scooped up the cell phone and glared at the caller ID. His brow furrowed, though, as the number shown on the illuminated screen wasn't one that he recognized. After a moment, he assumed that whoever was calling him was a telemarketer and accepted the call only to tell them to leave him alone.

        "Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested. Remove me from your calling list, pester someone else, and never bother me again." He growled into the phone darkly.

        Just as Levi was pulling the device away from his ear, a familiar voice sounded from it, making him pause.

        "Levi!"

        Mentally placing a face and name to the voice, Levi pulled the phone back to his ear and spoke to confirm his guess as to who was calling him.

        "Anya? Is that you?"

        "Levi! Oh thank god you're there! I-I tried to call the cafe, but no one was there and Erwin wouldn't pick up and-and-"

         Levi instantly identified the panic in Anya's voice and cut her off, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Anya, slow down. What's wrong?"

         "Th-they found us! The Doves! They know about us; about me and Ilya!"

        The blood in Levi's veins instantly turned to ice as he felt his heart drop into his stomach, "What?! How?!"

        "I-I don't know! They mentioned Henry and his grave, so they must have dug up his body and examined it. They probably found his mask there too!" Anya's voice was slightly hushed as she spoke most likely in an effort to avoid drawing attention, "Ilya and I managed to lose them, but I don't know for how long."

        "Where are you right now?!" Levi demanded, rushing out of the living room and down the hall to his bedroom.

        "U-Um... We're at a payphone in front of a drug store... at the corner of... Ross and Dunlap." Anya shakily replied, pausing as she spoke to confirm the hers and her daughter's location.

        "Okay, listen, you're close to the cafe but not close enough to make a break for it. You and Ilya need to find somewhere to hide nearby and wait until I get there! Only run for the cafe if you have no choice-" Levi was cut off by Anya as he pried open his closet doors to grab a set of disposable clothes.

        "Oh god... They found us...! We have to go!"

        "Anya! Don't go too far! I need to be able to find you!" Levi shouted over the phone, ripping a dark long sleeved turtleneck shirt and a pair of dark jeans from the closet.

        "Please hurry!" Anya's voice quickly faded as there was a clatter over the phone, signaling that she hadn't even bothered to hang up and just dropped the phone.

        "Anya! Ilya!" Levi called out over the phone.

        The only response he got was the muffled sound of men's voices and several pairs of feet rushing closer to the phone.

        "Shit." Levi cursed and hung up as he pulled a dark green hoodie from his closet.

        Tossing the clothes on the bed, Levi rushed over to his nightstand and opened the bottom drawer to retrieve a pair of boxers and socks. As he did this, he hurriedly went to his phone's contact list and called Erwin.

        "C'mon, pick up the phone you bushy-browed bastard..." Levi hissed, tossing the towel around his waist onto his bed and pulling on his underwear as he listened to the phone ring.

        Around the end of the third ring, Levi heard the sound of someone answering his call.

        "Levi?" A confused Erwin could be heard over the line, "You don't normally call me at this time. If this is about the cleaning products you recommended we use in the cafe, you'll be glad to know that I've already order-"

        "It's not about that, Erwin! Just shut up and listen to me for a minute!" Levi was quick to cut Erwin off, "Anya and Ilya have been made! The Doves are after them as we speak! I'll be on my way to intercept them. I need you to go to the cafe and keep it open for us. Call Petra and Eld and have them meet you there."

        Erwin's shock was obvious from his momentary silence. It didn't take him long to react though.

        "I understand. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

        "Make it ten." Levi said, pulling on the dark pair of pants and fastening a leather belt tightly around the waistline.

        "While you're at it, call Oluo and Gunther and have them go to Anya's place to stake it out. If there are no signs of Doves, send them in to grab Anya and Ilya's Go Bags."

        "Good idea. I'll give Mike a call as well and tell him to prepare new ID's for them." Erwin responded, completely in agreement with Levi's judgement.

        "Good. I'm going now, so hurry up." Levi hung up and pocketed the phone before pulling on the turtleneck shirt and hoodie.

        Levi ran back to his closet and pulled out a pair of black steel-toed boots, the ones he only used in situations like this. He quickly laced them up and approached his bedroom window, opening it which allowed the freezing wind and rain to assault his hooded form and rush into the room.

        He looked back at the rain that was now splattering across his bedroom floor with a scowl. He knew that by the time he got back, the room would be soaked with water. He didn't have time to dwell on it, however, as Anya's and Ilya's lives were more important at the moment. With a click of his tongue, Levi turned back and stepped up onto the window sill. With a push of his leg, Levi effortlessly leaped from his bedroom and onto the rooftop of the smaller building next door.

        Becoming nothing more than a blur of black and green, Levi raced across the roof and leaped over the street below and onto the next building as he pulled up the collar of his shirt to cover his mouth and nose.

        'Ilya. Anya. Hang in there. I'm on my way.' Levi wasn't one to pray, but this was an exception.

        He would protect them both, no matter the cost. He promised to keep them safe, and he'll be damned if he doesn't fight to keep that promise.

 

*With (Y/n)*

 

        The cold rain was already soaking through your (f/c) hoodie, making the soft material cling to your skin. Every second you spent in the biting wind, you could feel your body get slightly more numb. At this point, you didn't even know if you still had fingers. The only reason why you knew you even had hands was the shifting of your messenger bag whenever you tugged and adjusted the strap on your shoulder.

        'I've had enough of this. I don't care if it's risky-- I refuse to freeze to death! I'm taking the shortcut!' You thought to yourself, jaw clenched to prevent your your teeth from chattering.

        Just before you reached the corner of the next street, you came across the alley that would take you to a shorter route home. Avoiding a nearby deep puddle on the sidewalk, you turned into the alley and briskly strode through it. It was risky to take this particular shortcut alone, especially with the streets so empty. But with the weather being as bad as it was, you doubted that thugs or even ghouls would be skulking around in the shadows. The alley would take you to a pedestrian only side street-- one that was used for the weekend farmer's market. Although it should be devoid of any life, aside from pigeons or the occasional stray cat or dog, the empty stalls lining both sides of the street would remain. All you would need to do is cross the street to the alley across the way and you would only be a few blocks away from home.

        You had just reached the end of the alley and was about to cross the street into the next alley when the faint sound of splashing and scuffling reached your ears over the heavy rainfall. Stopping for a moment and tilting your head, you strained to listen. It sounded like someone-- no, several someones were running through the farmer's market in your direction. Being the curious and cautious person you were, you decided to take a peek before crossing the street.

        You flattened your tall frame against the wall and carefully leaned forward, peeking around the corner. At first, all you could see were the empty wooden stalls that lined each side of the street. Then, through the haze of the rain, two figures came into view and continued their sprint through the desolate market. One of them was a woman and the other was a small girl, holding hands as they pulled one another onward. They seemed familiar to you. Their long platinum blonde hair soaked and their clothes sticking to their drenched forms, you tried to remember where you had seen them before but couldn't quite place them. Sudden shouting from behind the two females caught your attention.

        "I've had enough of this game of tag! Die monsters!" A man's voice called over the rush of falling water.

        The blonde woman looked back and abruptly shoved the little girl to the side just as a loud bang cracked the air, sounding almost like a gunshot but deeper and more concussive; A cannon, perhaps? Not even an instant later, a sickening cracking noise reached your ears as the blonde woman let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground clutching her thigh. A slightly luminescent red ball, about the size of a tennis ball, rolled away from the woman as she sat up and removed her hand from her leg to assess the damage. The sight of said damage made you gasp and clap your hand over your mouth.

        Blood soaked through the woman's cream-colored skinny jeans, staining them red. Protruding from the now ripped material of her pant-leg was the jagged bloody end of her fractured femur. Several centimeters of the thick bone pierced through her skin and flesh and was now sticking out at an angle. Her leg was bent at an awkward angle at her thigh, almost giving the illusion that she had developed a second joint in her leg. Seeing the awful damage, you internally thanked yourself for not being very effected by blood and gore.

        The little blonde girl, who had fallen into a dirty puddle, scrambled up onto her hands and knees and looked around wildly. Upon seeing the woman on the ground she stumbled to her feet and rushed to her side, dropping to her knees next to her and grabbing onto her grey button-down sweater.

        "Mom!" She cried out as she tugged on her sweater, "C'mon! Get up! We have to go!"

        "Ilya, I can't go anywhere anymore. Not with this leg. You have to go without me." The woman replied to her daughter.

        The little girl, Ilya, turned her head to look down at her leg and finally noticed the grisly wound. The girl paled as she stared at the bloody protrusion, horror reflected in her lavender eyes. With the change of her face's position, you could finally make out the details of the little girl's features with clarity. Seeing her eyes and facial features, it suddenly clicked in your mind; it was the mother and daughter you almost ran into the other day! But, who was chasing them down with such deadly force and why?

        Your questions were answered as the pairs' pursuers, who had been blocked from your view due to one of the wooden stalls, appeared and stepped closer to the blondes. Three tall and burly men approached, two of them carrying a briefcase. The other on one side carried what looked to be a dark red miniature cannon, bright red veins webbing along its surface. Logic dictated that the man with the portable red cannon was to one to fire the red ball that injured the blonde woman. And by inspecting the mens' clothing, you guessed that they might be ghoul investigators.

        'Does that mean... they think those two are ghouls? Are they ghouls?' You wondered, glancing between the trio of men and the two blondes.

        "Idiot!" The man in the middle snarled at the one with the red cannon, "Discharging your quinque without confirming the target's identity as a ghoul is against protocol! Anya Markov and child have yet to reveal a kagune or a kakugan!"

        "Screw protocol! We know what these bitches are and I refuse to chase them all over the district in this weather!" The cannon man snarled in return and hefted his weapon over one shoulder.

        The man on the opposite side of him chose this moment to speak up, "Yeah, boss. As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with him. We already know they're ghouls. Let's just kill them already so we can get back to the branch office and warm up."

        "Hmph. Amateurs." The middle investigator sighed, "Fine. Let's get this over with."

        'So they are ghoul investigators. Which means that woman and girl are really ghouls?!' You've never actually seen a ghoul before, as far as you knew.

        You knew the basics about them, just like everyone else did. Their eyes glow red, their skin and flesh is tough like rock or metal, they can only eat humans, human food tastes awful to them, and they have extra fleshy appendages hidden in their backs that they use as weapons. Documented pictures of ghouls were rare, almost all of them being blurry and their identities always hidden behind a mask. Ghouls were always said to be monstrous and heartless, but these two blonde girls didn't seem to be that way at all.

        As the three men approached the two blondes, Anya pulled Ilya behind her to shield her from the coming danger. The woman then looked at the men with pleading eyes.

        "Please stop this! We've done nothing wrong! I have never taken a human life and neither has my daughter! We're innocent!" Anya shouted to them, trying her best to stand on one knee and wincing as her broken leg shifted.

        The ghoul investigators only scoffed at the woman's claim, sneering at her with cruelty.

        "Like we would believe the words of a monster." Said the man with the cannon-like weapon.

        Anya flinched at their words but pleaded further, "Spare my daughter, at the very least! Please! She's just a child!"

        "She's just a child, she says." The leader of the trio repeated with a chuckle, "Whether you're feigning the love of a mother or not, we can't take your word for it. And what if we do let her go? She might just come back to avenge her mother or she'll take human life and feast upon their flesh like the parasite she is. Sorry, but we're not taking any chances."

        You couldn't watch much more of this. Sure, you didn't personally know the two and you can't judge a book by its cover, but she seemed so desperate. She was trying to run instead of fighting back. She was trying to talk sense and come to a peaceful solution, even settling for sacrificing herself in exchange for the life of her child. Beasts and mindless monsters don't avoid conflict or try to spare the life of another when they're cornered. What you were currently witnessing was everything that you were against. This right here was exactly why you didn't support the CCG and their methods.

        At this moment, you wanted nothing more than to step in and do something to save these two ghouls. But what could you do? You were just one person-- one normal unarmed person. Plus, interfering would most likely get you arrested or worse.

        "Ilya." The soft voice belonging to Anya reached your ears, snapping you out of your own thoughts.

        The woman grunted in pain, her face contorting into a grimace, and managed to push herself up to kneel on her working knee. Twisting herself around to face her daughter with a wince, she placed her delicate hands onto the girl's shoulders.

        "Mom, I-- You said you can't run! You're hurt too bad!" Ilya protested against her mother moving but was quickly hushed.

        "Ilya, my dear... Always remember that I love you." Anya cooed softly and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, "Now and forever."

        "Wh-what are you talking about, Mom?! I don't understand-- Why are you telling me this now?!"

        Ilya's questions were ignored as Anya struggled to stand on her functioning leg and faced the opposing Ghoul Investigators.

        "Ilya! Run!" No sooner had she said those words, a set of what looked to be a giant set of dragonfly wings burst from the back of Anya's shoulders. 

        In the gloom of the storm, the translucent purple wings shimmered as trails of water ran over their glass-like surface. Veins of red glowed throughout the appendages, the light striking the eyes of all who gazed upon them like the illumination of a neon sign.

        "This is a ghoul's true form...?" The whisper that passed through your lips was drowned out by the rush of the rain.

        You had never seen a kagune before, but you had always pictured them to be more grotesque and horrifying. This was nothing like you had envisioned a ghoul would look like. It was eerie to look at, but was also somehow beautiful. It was a strange thought to have, to be sure, but it was the truth nonetheless.

        "Kagune! Get to cover!"

        The sudden shout from one of the investigators snapped you back into the reality of the situation as the sound of sharp objects flying through the air reached your ears. With a twitch of her wings, Anya sent a wave of red needles flying at the ghoul investigators who dove behind the cover of nearby wooden stalls.

        "The ability to fire projectiles and the wing-like appearance point to this being an ukaku-type ghoul!" The leader of the investigators shouted to his comrades.

        "Ilya! Go now! Keep running as fast as you can!" Anya shouted at the small girl cowering behind her.

        "N-no! I-I won't leave you!" She shook her head and looked to her mother with a gaze of desperation.

        "Ilya! Now!"

        Her mother's commanding voice made her flinch and stare on with horror. A few moments passed before Ilya let out a strangled cry and turned on her heels, running down the alleyway on the opposite side of the street as you.

        "The little one's running!"

        "I've got 'er!" The investigator with the cannon rushed along the side of the street towards the alley, using the other stalls as cover.

        Anya did her best to stop the man by firing as many red needles from her wings as possible, only to fail when they dug into the wood of the shop stalls instead of the flesh of her target.

        "Ilya! No!" Anya's scream of fear for her child's safety echoed through the street as the man ducked into the safety of the alley to give chase to the small girl.

        The pounding of your heart reverberated through your entire body. Adrenaline coursed through your veins, making you forget all about how cold you were. You don't know when you had burst out into a frantic sprint from your hiding place. You don't remember when you crossed the street into the other alleyway in pursuit of the ghoul investigator. You don't even remember shouting over your shoulder at the shocked Anya.

        "Don't worry! I'll save her!" 

        There wasn't much that you remember from that moment, but there was one thing that you knew you would never forget. The look of relief on Anya's face as she sent a small smile your way. Her glowing ruby-colored eyes swimming in pools of obsidian, sparked with newfound hope, bored into your own (e/c) orbs. You could only just register Anya's lips forming two words before you disappeared from each others' sight; "Thank you"

 

.~.~.~.

 

        You made a sharp turn into a darker, more narrow alley and spotted the two you were chasing so desperately. Ilya had tripped and was now being cornered against a grimy and graffiti-covered dumpster by the cannon-wielding investigator.

        "Now I've got you, you little parasite." The man growled as he began to advance on the blonde girl who could only stare with wide teary eyes and whimper.

        Anger burned in your gut and a ferocious side that you never knew you had took over your body. The ghoul investigator's back was to you and was completely oblivious to your presence. Taking advantage of this, you looked around for anything you could use as a weapon. The only thing you found was a long piece of rusted rebar that was left leaning against the wall of the alley.

        'It's better than nothing...' You thought, carefully picking up the piece of rusted steel and holding it as if it were a bat.

        Using your long legs, you quickly closed the distance between you and and the large man. He let out a sinister chuckle and lifted the cannon to point it at Ilya's face. Stopping right behind the man, you reeled back your foot and kicked him between the legs as hard as you could. The man's reaction was immediate. He howled in pain and grabbed at his crotch, dropping his glowing red weapon as he doubled over. Taking the opening, you raised the rebar and swung it at his head with all your might. There was a loud crack as the steel met the back of the investigator's skull. The rebar was so old and corroded, however, that it snapped in half and fell to the ground with a clang immediately after. Though it could no longer be used as a weapon, it did its job and sent the investigator falling face first to the ground disoriented and moaning.

        Ilya stared at you in shock as you tossed the broken steel aside and shakily scrambled to grab the investigator's weapon. You grabbed the cannon's black handle with both hands and lifted it, nearly failing as it was a lot heavier than you thought it would be. It took all of your less-than-impressive strength to swing the weapon through the air. Using the momentum of the swing, you released the handle and sent the red cannon flying back down the alleyway where you had come from. It quickly disappeared from view with a loud clatter as you turned to the small girl.

        "Get up! We have to run!" You exclaimed, holding your hand out for the girl to take.

        The blonde girl blinked owlishly at you and your extended (s/t) hand, still in shock that someone had come to her rescue.

        "Come on! That guy isn't going to stay down for long!" You further encouraged her to take your hand, the investigator on the ground next to the two of you groaning and shifting as if to emphasize your point.

        Glancing at the man, Ilya hesitated before raising her cold hand and placing it in yours. Quickly pulling her onto her feet you took off further down the alley, dragging the blonde girl with you.

        "Do you know where you're going? Like a place to hide out or something-- A friend or family member maybe?" You asked, peering over your shoulder to look at the girl while simultaneously checking for pursuers as you ran.

        "U-um..." Ilya wasn't sure if she could tell you about the cafe.

        With her good eyesight she was able to see underneath the darkness of your hood and recognized you as the young woman she and her mother nearly ran into the other day. Judging by the sweet scent she noticed was coming from you last time she saw you and even now, it was obvious that you were human.

        'Why? Why did she save me? She's human... And she has to know what I am since I was being chased by a Dove. She doesn't get anything out of it except for trouble. So why...?'

        "We can't just run around without any place to go to. C'mon, I know it's hard to trust me since I'm human-- But I just want to help. I couldn't just stand there and watch you and your mom be attacked just because you're ghouls." You explained your reasoning to her, fully understanding why she would hesitate to tell you anything as you were both a stranger and a human.

        Ilya stared up at you with wide lavender orbs, opening and closing her mouth but not knowing quite what to say. It honestly shocked her to know that this human woman didn't judge her or her mother because of what they were. Could you truly be a human worth trusting?

        Just as the girl was about to speak up, a large figure dashed from the darkness of another alley you were passing and tackled you against the side of the building next to you. The bruising force crashing into you caused Ilya to release your hand and was knocked to the ground with a small cry. Giving a yelp, you thrashed against your assailant and successfully knocked something heavy out of their hands. You saw the brief flash of a silver briefcase falling to the ground at your feet just before a pair of large hands found their way around your neck and lifted you up, pinning you to the wall.

        "I'll deal with you first. Then comes the ankle-biter." You recognized the voice belonging to one of the investigators, not the leader or the cannon guy-- the third guy, who must have also made it past Anya and caught up to see what you did to his comrade.

        You brought your hands up to claw at the man's wrists and gloved hands, feeling the air leaving your lungs and an uncomfortable pressure spreading through your head. No matter how hard you kicked the man or how desperately you clawed at him, his grip would not loosen. You looked down and locked eyes with Ilya, who sat shaking fearfully behind the man.

        "R... u... n..." You managed to choke out as black spots began to cloud your vision.

        Ilya visibly flinched at your command, shaking more violently as tears filled her eyes. It was happening yet again. Someone was sacrificing themselves to save her again. People were getting hurt for her-- possibly dying for her. She didn't want that. She wanted it to stop. She just wanted it to stop.

        "Stop it... Please stop it... No more..." She found herself whimpering.

        There was no response and found herself hiccuping when she saw your movements slow. Her hands shakily rose to cover her ears as if to block out the steadily quieting sounds of your gasps for air. Seeing the life draining from your eyes made her close her own eyes, hot tears flowing down her face. It was then, when you finally went limp in your attacker's hands, that she felt something deep inside of her snap.

        "Stop hurting people!" Ilya screamed at the man, rising to her feet and opening her eyes to reveal glowing red eyes made even more prominent by her now pitch black scleras.

        There was a tearing sound followed by the appearance of a set of translucent light purple dragonfly-esque wings bursting from behind the girl's shoulders. The red veins running through the thin wings were speckled with flecks of glittering gold.

        The investigator abruptly turned his head to see the young ghoul glaring at him with hateful eyes and her kagune bared at him.

        "Aw, shit!" He cursed, abruptly dropping you and about to lunge for the quinque you knocked out of his hands.

        The veins of red in the glass-like wings suddenly widened and became almost fuzzy in appearance, each fine spike of red tipped with a glittering golden hue. In an instant, the entire wall of the alley was showered with thin gold-tipped red needles. The man's entire backside from the top of his head to the back of his heels was covered with them, making it look as if he had attempted a trust fall with a cactus. Luckily you were spared a similar experience as the ghoul investigator had unknowingly shielded you with his body, not that you noticed as you were too busy coughing and gasping for breath on the ground.

        The investigator's body seized up and froze, his eyes rolling up and his pupils growing wide as he suddenly teetered and fell to the ground. Ilya, suddenly realizing what she had done, gasped and covered her mouth. Her wings became four gold-crested red flames and retreated into her back as her eyes returned to their pastel purple hue.

        "I-I-I'm so sorry...! I-I didn't m-mean to--! I-I mean--!" She stammered, horrified at the thought that she might have just killed someone.

        Finally able to take a breath or two without wheezing or having a coughing fit you shakily struggle to stand, using the wall beside you as a support. Ilya took notice and was quick to help you, grabbing onto your arm to help you to your feet.

        "Are-are you okay, miss?" The girl stuttered.

        "Y-yes, I think I'll be fine. I just need a moment to breathe." You answered, trying to reassure the girl with a small smile.

        Your smile disappeared, however, when you brought your attention to the downed ghoul investigator who laid as still as a statue and gazed unblinking into the distant sky.

        "Geez... What did you do to him? Is he... dead...?" You asked, cautiously approaching the man.

        "I... I don't know... I-I've never used my kagune on anyone before. I-I just wanted him to stop..." Ilya whimpered, almost bursting into tears as she looked at the man with guilty eyes.

        You leaned down and placed two fingers to the side of the man's neck, checking his pulse as you stared into his extremely dilated pupils.

        "He's alive... And I don't think he's dying. It's almost like he's just... paralyzed." You spoke over your shoulder to the girl, who seemed to relax at the information.

        "He's a bad man... But I didn't want to kill him." The small girl sighed, clenching fistfuls of her coat.

        "That's okay. It just means that you're a good person." You assured the girl, approaching her and giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder.

        Ilya looked up at you and gave a shy smile before grabbing onto the sleeve of your hoodie, tugging on it to lead you further down the alley.

        "Let's go now. We have to get away quick." She suggested, which was a sentiment that you one-hundred percent agreed with.

        You allowed the girl to pull you down the alley, both of you running to escape to a safer place. It was quite unfortunate that moments later the two of you were stopped again; This time by the click of a gun being readied behind you. Ilya, having the better hearing between the two of you, stopped first and turned to look with you following her example right after. To both of your horror, it was the investigator you snuck up on and not only had he recovered and caught up but he had found his cannon too. Ilya immediately clung to you and buried half of her face into the soaked fabric of your hoodie. You returned her gesture by hugging her close, your (s/t) lips tightening together to form a thin line as you steeled yourself to protect her.

        "Say goodnight, monsters." The man snarled and aimed his cannon towards you, causing you to have flashbacks of what that weapon was able to do to a person's body.

        You let out a gasp and hugged Ilya closer, turning to shield the small girl from the attack. You heard the concussive blast and flinched, expecting to feel the shattering force of a small red cannonball crashing into your body and snapping your bones. It's understandable that you became confused when you felt nothing at all and instead heard the screech of metal against metal. The grinding sound of something rolling made you open your (e/c) eyes, which you hadn't even realized had been clenched shut, just in time to witness half of the red cannonball rolling harmlessly past yours and Ilya's feet. There was a similar rolling sound behind you, indicating the other half of the cannonball was passing by as well. You were able to see that the ball was completely solid all the way through, and yet it looked as if it had been cut cleanly in half.

        'But... how...?'

        Slowly turning to look at your attacker, you saw your view of him being slightly obstructed by a small hooded figure. Ilya looked up from the fabric of your jacket and saw the figure too. They were dressed in a green hoodie, dark jeans, and a pair of black leather boots. In their right hand was an almost translucent knife with a long silver blade. As both of you and the ghoul investigator gazed at the figure, a familiar scent reached Ilya's nose.

        "Big brother...?" Ilya whispered softly, tears dripping down her face as hope filled her widened lavender eyes.

        "Who the hell are you?" The cannon-wielding man growled at the new arrival.

        The short figure in the green hood lifted his blade and pointed it at the opposing investigator before responding, his voice deep and menacing.

        "Someone you'll regret pissing off, you filthy rat with wings." 

 

To Be Continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
> 
> I am so sorry it took so long to get this out. My life got a bit too crazy for me to handle for a while there. But I hope you can forgive me and that the fan-service, long chapter, and action kind of makes up for it.
> 
> Merry Christmas everyone~! And Happy New Year!


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